GOP: Dem energy plan is C.R.A.P.

In a news conference today on Capitol Hill, House Republicans led by Mike Pence (R-IN) released their response to the Democrats' energy bill.

The Republican bill, titled "The American Energy Act," would bring down the costs by using various forms of renewable energy such as nuclear power and by building new refineries in order to up production of gasoline within the United States, according to GOP leaders.

The bill also sets a goal of constructing 100 nuclear power plants within the United States in the next 20 years "by streamlining a burdensome regulatory process and ensuring the recycling and safe storage of spent nuclear fuel," according to a press release sent out by Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH).

While promoting their own plan, House Republicans vigorously attacked Democrats for their support of a cap-and-trade system to regulated carbon emissions, calling the legislation a "job killer."

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) said that a cap-and-trade law would cost Americans "over $846 billion" in the coming years. He went on to call the Democratic energy plan C.R.A.P., or "Continue Ruining America's Prosperity."

Minority Leader Boehner said the Democratic plan would amount to a national energy tax and claimed, "The Democrats' national energy tax will be paid by anyone who drives a car, buys an American-made product, or flips on a light switch. That means a yearly average of $3,100 in higher energy costs for middle-class families -- and fewer jobs for American workers."

At its core the "The American Energy Act" is based on increasing domestic production by exploring American oil shale and drilling in the Artic Coastal Plain and by building nuclear power plants.

When asked how 100 new nuclear plants would be built in the next 20 years, the GOP leaders said through competitive "private investment" brought on by contracts offered by the U.S. government and individual states.

On the issue of what would happen to nuclear waste, Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) said that reprocessing as well as further construction of nuclear waste dumping sites such as Yucca Mountain would be needed.

"If an American used nuclear power their entire life, they would produce enough nuclear waste to fill a soda can," Upton asserted. "If we reprocesses that it would be enough waste to fill a 50-cent piece."

Look for the GOP to continue calling the Democratic energy plan "cap and tax" and make the case that it is too costly in the midst of a severe economic recession.

DC's out-of-control acronyms From NBC's Domenico MontanaroDC is known for its lame attempts at wittiness through acronyms.

CRAP is just the latest in the past couple of days. See also: The Energy and Commerce Committee's hearing tomorrow on the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, or CALM.

Or the Cash for Clunkers initiative, formally called, the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act, or, you guessed it -- CARS.

Come on.

So, have some fun with this. What are your best/favorite real (or fake/funny) legislative acronyms?